Head out to the wild horse and burro event in Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Organization

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Oklahoma Field Office

Media Contact:

NORMAN, Okla. – The Bureau of Land Management will hold a wild horse and burro adoption event in Tahlequah, Okla., June 25-26, at the Cherokee County Fairgrounds. The two-day event, featuring 150 wild horses and burros, will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 25. Adoptions will be held from noon-6 p.m. on Friday, June 25, and from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, June 26. Animals are eligible for adoption. Inquire with BLM staff onsite for more information.   

As part of our efforts to find every horse and burro a good home, the BLM now offers up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained animal. This adoption incentive will be offered for every animal in Tahlequah.        

The animals offered at the event are adult and yearling horses and burros that once roamed free on public lands in the West. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range in order to maintain healthy herds and to protect other rangeland resources. The adoption and sale program is essential for achieving these important management goals. Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 240,000 of these animals in approved homes across the country.  

BLM staff will approve applications onsite. To qualify to adopt, one must be at least 18 years old, with no record of animal abuse. Qualified homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water and shelter. A six-foot corral fence is required for adult horses; five feet for yearlings; and four-and-a-half feet for burros. All animals must be loaded in covered, stock-type trailers with swing gates and sturdy walls and floors. BLM staff will be on hand to assist with the short application process. 

The Cherokee County Fairgrounds are located at 16436 Highway 62, Tahlequah, Okla.  From Tahlequah, go south on Highway 62; the fairgrounds are across from the Cherokee Casino. For more information, call 866-468-7826 or visit www.blm.gov. 


The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.